Dave, be the Medic
by querulousArtisan
Summary: After Sburb, Dave finds himself with the task of making sure Sollux is alive, given by Karkat, soon finding themselves together.  One day, Dave comes home, and soon find's himself relying on valuable skills that saved him in Sburb. Dave/Sol
1. Dave, Check on the Gemini

To the untrained eye, one would think that the Strider household was one of abuse. It wasn't just the shitty swords lying in wait to attack an unsuspecting bystander trying to open the fridge, or the horrible piles of smuppets that Bro left lying about. The two siblings within it sparred dangerously, often times leaving themselves with wounds that would take any normal person to the hospital.

The Striders were not normal people, however. They would rather mend their own wounds rather than take themselves to a doctor that would surely have the younger of the two taken away. It was a ritual of sorts. Bro would harass Dave into a strife, leading them to the rooftop until Dave was beaten into submission. Then came the wound mending, sometimes leading into stitches, for the both of them. The cycle would continue as such.

For Dave, though, it wasn't abuse. It was skills he found more valuable than anything. Not even his sick beats or his irony could top it. After all, those two skills didn't save his life those countless times against imps and ogres.

When Sburb came around, he found himself, with his closest friends, stuck in a medium full of danger around every corner. Certainly his sword fighting kept the enemies at bay. Prevention was always key. However, when a strike would land, on either himself or one of the other kids, it would be Dave that sat there and stitched them back up. He was the team medic.

When he found himself on the troll's meteor out in the furthest ring, outrunning an overpowered Bec Noir, it was him who helped with everyone's wounds when anyone strifed. He certainly learned more about troll anatomy than he had hoped, but it was him that those grey skinned kids turned to when they found themselves wounded.

It had been his medical skills that he found most valuable. It had helped him and his Bro escape escalating medical bills (and the wrath of child protective services.) It had helped him care for his team mates; it had helped them stay alive.

Even after the game had been won, after the human's and trolls universe melded into an Earth populated by trolls and humans, Dave still considered his ability to patch up a wound his most important skill.

After all, it would be after the game had been won that he would be reunited with his Bro. While his life would never bee the same, Dave soon found himself back in the ritual of pester-strife-mend.

For the most part.

Before Sburb, Dave found himself rarely leaving his apartment. After all, he had been home schooled by Bro. Now that the younger Strider found himself with a group of friends, now closer than ever, there were days he would hang out with them instead. All of them, even the clingy fish-face Eridan, who had calmed down considerable after his revival. Being sawn in half by his now new moirail certainly did a number to calm the aquatic troll.

The only troll that Dave hadn't found himself hanging out with was the yellow-blooded Sollux Captor. Even stranger was the fact that they were neighbors, the Gemini living just across the hallway from Dave and Bro. Dave rarely saw Sollux leave the apartment, though he simply chalked it up to the troll holding on to his nocturnal habits.

Dave would soon find out that no one had seen much of the mustard blood. Karkat had, begrudgingly, asked Dave to keep an eye out on Sollux.

"Make sure that nook-stain fuckass of a best friend eats. Oh, and takes a damn ablution every other day. That way, when the smell of beast leavings floods into your apartment, we'll know that he actually kicked the bucket and is beginning to rot." Karkat yelled, much like he always did. It certainly didn't seem as if the knight of blood was a friend, and Dave certainly made sure to snark a comment about how he wouldn't want to see Sollux's enemies if the nubby horned troll was his best friend.

Still, he knew that Karkat couldn't be there everyday, and the fact that the mutant-blood was coming over to Dave, of all people, meant that the troll actually gave a damn.

So Dave did as Karkat asked. Knocking on Sollux's door ever so gracefully. There was no answer at first, so another knock. Nothing once more.

The third time was the charm. Dave found the door wide open, himself up against the ceiling, held by tendrils of blue and red.

"What the fuck do you want, Thrider?"

Despite his surprise, Dave's face managed to remain at his usual deadpan, until a frown began to tug on his lips.

"Seriously, dude. It might be best not to throw someone against a ceiling. You know, in case they're trying to be friendly or something."

The troll gave a growl. His hetero-chromatic eyes, glowing softly, not hidden behind his usual red and blue shades, narrowed into a glare, lip curling to show off a couple of long fangs. Dave, through his shades, got a good look at Sollux's face. Off-colored yellow bags formed around the odd colored eyes, sharp cheek-bones jutting out a bit further than Dave had ever remembered seeing.

"What the fuck do you want? I'm more than willing to throw you down a thtairwell for dithturbing me, tho you better make thith good."

Dave crossed his arms, thankful to find that they weren't being held back by psiionics. "Well, crabcakes has been a bit worried about you... everyone has." a smug smirk began to play on Dave's lips. "Even I have been, and it takes a lot to make a Strider worried." the smirk faded as Dave went serious. "And, from the looks of things, we all should be. When was the last time you ate?"

Sollux growled, the glow around his eyes fading, letting the human drop unceremoniously onto the ground. Dave, with grace owed to him from his martial arts training, contorted his body, landing gracefully on his feet.

"I'm fine. You can tell Karkat that. Now leave me the fuck alone." with that, Sollux slammed the door.

Sollux was far moodier that Dave ever remembered.

Still, Dave wasn't one to give things up so easily, not when he had been trusted with a task. Not with a nubby horned, mutant blood troll hassling him. So he plotted.

He figured that Sollux was more frustrated than usual, having been disturbed. So Dave spent the next couple of hours working on his mixes, giving the troll some time to cool down. Once he had some quick, sick beats he was happy with, he quickly synced them to his MP3 player, running to the kitchen to make a couple of sandwiches.

If there was anything he learned at keeping any of the trolls, especially Gamzee, at bay, it was that they certainly enjoyed a sick beat and a good sandwich.

Dave, once again, found himself across the hall, gifts in hand, rapping against the door. It only took once this time, the weary troll at the door.

Dave inwardly thanked whatever deity prevented him from being pinned against the ceiling this time around.

Sollux gave a frustrated sigh. "I told you to leave me alone." he growled, the anger in his voice much more faded than the first time around. He moved to close the door once more. Dave flash-stepped to stop the troll.

"Look, bro. I know something has to be bothering you." Dave held out his offerings. "But maybe you can break your solitude long enough to listen to some music and eat some sandwiches? Bro's out, and, well, fuck, I'm bored."

Sollux's eyebrow quirked up. "Tho you figured you would bother me."

"Yup." Dave's voice was flat.

"And you're not going to thtop bothering me until I give in, are you?" there was a tone of defeat in the troll's voice.

"Nope."

Sollux sighed. "Fine." he grumbled. "Could you at leatht come back in a half hour? I want to get cleaned up."

Dave smirked. He knew he was wrong, but he figured the troll was just trying to get rid of him again.

"No can do. Next time I come over, you won't answer the door."

Hetero-chromatic eyes narrowed. "I could jutht eathily throw you down the thtairth and shut the door. I promith I will anthwer. Pleath, I really need some ablutionth."

"Nope, not going anywhere."

Another sigh of defeat, and Sollux opened the door. "Fine, but I'm thtill getting in the ablution trap. You can wait in the... living room, or whatever you humanth call it." a turn on the heel, and Sollux disappeared into the bathroom. Dave smirked, his pestering a success.

Sollux had hoped that Dave would end up bored enough to go home, the troll taking his sweet time cleaning off. Considerably longer than he needed too.

He glared at the human on his couch, face softening when he realized that Dave was far more persistent than he had originally given credit.

Figuring the sooner he gave into Dave's plan, the sooner he could get rid of him. So he sat down on the couch. Dave handed him an ear bud, popping the other in his own ear and offering the far-too-thin troll a sandwich.

Sollux's ears perked at the sound of the music. He had to give Dave credit, he knew how to throw together a song, even if he didn't know how to make a meal. The beats certainly helped Sollux choke down the mustard and cheese abomination that the human called food.

Sollux wouldn't admit to himself that he enjoyed the company. He sure as hell wouldn't admit that his mood certainly improved while listening to the music.

He would deny any accusation that he had fallen asleep against Dave, who had then decided to stay the night, so as to not disturb the troll that obviously had forgotten what sleep was.

Sollux had promised himself that it would be the only time this happened, vowing to remain secluded as soon as Dave left.

He broke that promise when Dave came back the next day with some new tracks, sandwiches that Sollux found far more edible than the last, and some photos of the city scape.

The vow was thrown down the stairs that it had been warned about when a week passed, and the troll had found himself waiting for Strider to show up every day.

Soon, Dave found himself a new ritual, outside of the battles between his brother. A nice peace in his storm of a life. Sitting around Sollux's living room, listening to Dave drop it like it's hot on the mp3 player, eating whatever human brought over.

Sloppy make outs may or may not have soon become a part of the equation.

Dave was certain Karkat was going to have an aneurism when the mutant-blooded troll found out.

Time passed by, and preparations for college crept up on everyone. Most others moved away, or onto dorms. Sollux happily found himself with a new roommate.

A trial that would test both of them.

Medical training didn't prepare for the mood swings of a frustrated troll, or his own frustrations with his own class. Nor did they help in easing any of the horrid migraines that would incapacitate Sollux. Dave cursed that his knowledge of stitching up a wound didn't help his knowledge on poison when Sollux got desperate enough to take human pain killers when they had run out of anything formulated for a troll body.

They certainly didn't train Dave in the horrors of a hangover.

However, these were small things, something they both got over. It was a soothing routine that they had both gotten used to. School, food, sloppy make outs, the occasional strife with Bro.

It was simple. Simple compared to the trials that they all once went through.

Simple enough for Dave not to expect the worst.

Not to expect that his medical skills would soon be put to the test.


	2. Dave, Stitch the Wound

A second semester down, Dave having completed his last final of the semester. It was late, nearly edging on ten at night as he walked his way from campus to a restaurant to pick up dinner for himself and his matesprit-boyfriend-other-half. Something fancy, at least, college student fancy. A bottle of Bärenjäger waited at home, a gift from Bro. That was, considering Sollux had not gotten into it yet, the troll long since done with his finals earlier in the day.

Upon reaching the apartment building, Dave climbed the flights of stairs to the top floor. A trek, for certain, but nothing Dave thought about, even when the elevator was in working order. He didn't think of the handful of yellow spots on the stairs.

That was, not until he reached the top steps, where foot prints of yellow led from the doorway of apartment 2222, the door leading to it ajar.

Sollux's apartment.

Dave rushed in, heart pounding, crimson eyes searching. The apartment was dark. Far too dark.

"Sollux!" he hollered, flipping on a light switch. The kitchenette floor was covered in smeared yellow. A trail of it lead down the hall.

Dave's heart sank.

He dropped everything, following the yellow blood. It lead to the bathroom, the door closed. Dave grabbed the handle.

Locked.

"Sol! Sollux! C'mon, answer me!" Dave's coolness was long lost, his drawl edging it's way into his voice as worry wracked his mind. No answer came, no sign of the door becoming unlocked.

Dave slammed his body against it, it didn't budge. Once more, however, forced the door to give way.

"Sollu..." Dave's voice trailed off, his voice filled with horror.

Sollux lay crumpled in the stand up shower, body limp, unconscious in a pool of yellow. Dave rushed over to the troll's side, careful to move the Gemini as he inspected. He was relieved to find the troll breath, albeit raggedly. Sollux's clothing was torn apart, clearly from struggle. His abdomen was covered in yellow. Pushing up the shirt revealed a large gash along the Gemini's abdomen.

He patted a grey cheek. "C'mon, Sol. Wake up for me." He cursed when Sollux didn't respond.

Dave carefully placed his arms under Sollux's shoulder's and knees, lifting the troll, carrying the limp form. He took care to not hit the troll onto the door frame, cursing as he slammed into the door frame, the jolt almost causing him to drop the troll.

A groan came from Sollux, eyes opening. He looked up at Dave.

Dave, in all his years, never saw fear so primal.

Next thing Dave knew, claws had raked across his arm, Sollux hissing.

"The fuck... Sol, calm down!" Dave growled as the troll try to shove the human away, writhing in pale arms, trying to escape.

Sparks shot from the hetero-chromatic eyes. Sollux's psiionic powers where weak, but it was enough to jolt Dave back, causing him to drop the wounded troll. Sollux hit the ground with a cry of pain, hand clutching against his wound.

By the time he had gathered his bearings, Sollux had barely managed to climb to his feet, holding on to the wall for support. Dave made his way to the troll, grabbing a towel from the linen closet so he could press it against Sollux's wound.

"Sol, come on, it's me." Dave tried to keep his voice calm, trying to sooth the nerves of his wounded boyfriend.

It did little. Sollux turned around, startled, to lash out with another psiionic attack. A weak spark lashed against Dave's face as Sollux fell back to the ground. Another cry of pain came from the troll, followed by coughing. A small trail of blood slipped from black lips.

Dave wasn't going to take anymore fight from the troll, not with Sollux this wounded. Reaching the troll, he knelt known, catching Sollux's hands in his own.

"Sol, it's me." he said as softly as his nerves would let him.

Sollux snapped from his instinctive fright, eyes wide with pain and fright. "Dave..." he rasped between ragged breaths before his body gave out. The human caught the troll before he hit the ground, once again picking up the thin body, pressing the towel against the wound to try and slow the bleeding. Sollux groaned in pain, hand grasping onto Dave's shirt as the human carried him to the futon. He layed Sollux down, before moving to make his way way to the bathroom.

Dave felt shaking fingers tugging on his wrist.

"Dave, don't go, pleath..." Sollux pleaded. Dave moved in, giving a comforting kiss on the troll's forhead.

"I'm getting the med kit and washed up. Hang in there. Don't pass out, that would be uncool." he said.

"Alright... jutht... it hurtth..." Sollux writhed as he felt Dave press his own hand onto the towel.

"Just try and keep it on there." with that Dave turned and made he way to the bathroom for supplies.

It felt like forever for Sollux. His head spun with dizziness, nauseous from the loss of blood.

He cursed silently. He had grown so used to the fear of being culled on Alternia, and had let his senses slipped once he learned that he would no longer be killed for his mutations. He had let his guard down so much so, that Sollux didn't notice the strange man follow him home, did not notice he was in immediate danger until he had turned around to a loud crash behind him in his own home. Everything happened so fast, that Sollux didn't have time to react.

He cursed silently once more, feeling the pain fade.

Sollux didn't realize he had blacked out until he felt Dave patting on his face, urging him to wake up again. A groan, and then a sharp pain shot through his body. A light sat on the side table, blinding the Gemini, agitating a headache he didn't realize was coming on.

"Fuck..." Sollux groaned.

"Stay awake." Dave urged as he cut Sollux's ruined shirt, tossing it aside. Sollux could feel gloved hands around his wound as the towel was pulled away. There was a small relieved sigh from Dave. "It looks like it's beginning to stop bleeding. Fuck, there isn't any funky alien organs I have to worry about being damaged? Because, bro, I can only do so much."

"Fuck if I know..." Sollux said, voice weak. "It justh fucking hurtth." a pause. "But I don't think tho."

"Good, because I don't know where the closest troll emergency room is." Dave snarked.

Sollux felt something cold, and wet stinging at the wound. He hissed, managing a glare at Dave.

"This is going to sting. Like hell. Just a warning." Dave ignored the grumbled "Thankth for the headth up, ath."

"Just don't pass out, okay? And try to stay as still as possible."

Clawed hands dug into the futon as Sollux felt the needle pierce the skin, the fire of pain raging in his abdomen as the wound was lightly jostled. Dave did his best to hold the gash closed as he threaded the stitches through, doing everything he could to ignore the growls of pain coming from Sollux between raspy breaths.

"You alright there, bro?" Dave was simply doing what he could to keep Sollux's mind off of the pain.

"Like fucking daithieth..." Sollux swallowed, teeth gritting. He shook his head, trying to fight off another wave of nausea and dizziness.

"Well, I suppose that's better than before." Dave's mind began to churn. He wanted to know who did this.

"What did the guy look like?" he asked, a bit of anger edging into his voice.

He felt the Sollux shudder a little, the memories flooding back to the troll. "I couldn't thee. All I know wath that he wath a human." a yelp of pain as the needle was threaded through once more. "He did yell thom thingth, though. Thomething about me being a hell thpawn... and thomething about be gone in the name of your human Jeguth."

Dave shook his head. "God damn. Still have religeous nuts, and here I thought we made a perfect world." the two of them chuckled.

"Well, if it maketh you feel any better, he absconded like a wriggler when I threw him acroth the room with thome psiionicth."

Dave relaxed a little. Even with a bleeding gash, Sollux was still able to think long enough to snark. It eased Dave's mind.

Puncture, pull, stitch. Dave's nimble fingers worked quickly, cleaning the wound to make sure it wouldn't become infected. He concentrated on his work, growing silent.

With the last stitch done, Dave turned to Sollux.

"There, worst part's done." a frown played on the pale face when Sollux didn't respond, the troll's eyes closed once more. He moved in once more, giving the troll as gentle of a jostle as possible.

"Hey, I told you that you needed to stay awake."

With a soft groan, a blue orb peeked out from behind a grey eyelid. "I'm tired..."

"You can go to bed as soon as I'm done with this, dude." Dave pinched his eyes shut for a moment, the adrenaline rush fading, his body growing weary. He grabbed the bandages, helping Sollux into a sitting up position, ignoring the protesting and growls of pain. "Next time you decide you need some holes in you, give me a call first. We'll get you some piercings or something. This is a bit to hardcore." he mocked, wrapping the gauze tightly around the stitches. Sollux held on as best he could, one hand gripping on Dave's shoulder, another grasping the back of the futon.

He double checked the bandages, making sure they were on securely, before lifting up the thin troll one last time. Sollux wrapped his arms weakly around Dave's neck, head leaning on his shoulder. Dave's heart sank.

He hadn't been there to stop the attack.

Sollux was fine. The wound wasn't a severe one, though Dave was going to have to fight with Sollux to keep him in bed.

He hadn't been there to stop the attack.

Dave snapped out of his thoughts when Sollux groaned, shifting. "Fuck thith shit." the troll cursed. His tired eyes stared up into the crimson ones, catching the hint of worry just before Dave had a chance to hide his emotions in a deadpan stare.

"I'm fine." he grumbled.

It didn't ease Dave any.

He set Sollux down on the bed, the troll demanding to be careful. Dave took another quick glance over at the bandages to make sure they were still in place. Propping up Sollux on a couple of pillows, fighting Sollux from creating a nest of pillows and blankets, he finally managed to get Sollux to settle.

"Thrider, hey, can you do me a favor?" Sollux groaned into the pillow, his hand clutching at his wound. Dave's eyebrow quirked as he batted the hand away.

"What you need, skinny?" his pale hand reached to scratch Sollux behind the horns.

"Thome water, and a thleeping pill. I want to be able to thleep a little." Sollux nibbled nervously at his lip. "And thorry about the meth... thorry about the whole ordeal."

Dave gave the troll a soft smile, one rarely seen. "Well, at least I don't have to worry about hunting down a quest bed for you, but, hey, next time, no more getting stabbed." he leaned down and kissed the troll. Sollux chuckled weakly as Dave went and got what the troll asked for.

Dave pulled up a chair once Sollux began to dose off, breathing evening out to a much steadier pace, even if it still sounded ragged. Dave ran his hand in black locks he thought were far to soft for a once utilitarian race.

He was thankful that Sollux was sleeping rather peacefully, even if it was drug induced.

He thought of the mess in the kitchen, down the hall. He ignored the thoughts of how difficult it would be to clean, mind going back to the man Sollux described.

Dave whipped out his phone, jotting out a quick note into Pesterchum's memo log. He needed to tell the others, at least.

tG: hey guys bearer of bad news

tG: solluxs is out of commission

tG: apparently someone thought he was hell spawn and decided to give him a nice piercing to the stomach

tG: hes fine

tG: the douchecanoe that decided to stab my boyfriend wont be

tG: im going to get sicknasty on his hide should i see him

tG: keep an eye out if youre in the area for a bible thumper going after trolls thinking theyre demons

tG: he better hope one of you get to him first

He closed his phone, pushing his shades to the side as he rubbed his tired eyes. Dave shook his head to clear his thoughts. It didn't do much.

His thoughts turned to how much he wanted a shot. The thought of the Bärenjäger crossed his mind.

Sollux groaned, snapping Dave from his thoughts. The human sighed, leaning down on the mattress, head next to the trolls. He wouldn't be able to sleep, he was far too worried. He did need to rest, however.

He was going to have one hell of a time when Sollux woke up.

Sollux was a stubborn troll. Dave knew he was going to have a hard time getting him to stay in bed.

That's when the much needed flood of relief came. Dave knew for sure that Sollux was going to be fine. His troll was far to stubborn to let a little flesh wound get to him.

There were things that Dave worried about, but they would be dealt with when morning came.


	3. Dave, be the Mother Hen

Dave was exhausted.

Certainly he had pulled plenty of all nighters. It was the glorious life of living as a Strider.

It wasn't even so much of him keeping an eye on Sollux during the night. It was worst than the all nighters he had done for studying his finals, for certain, but a sleeping troll, wound or not, couldn't get into trouble.

It wasn't even all the work Dave put into cleaning up the blood when he felt certain he could leave Sollux alone to sleep.

It was when Sollux was awake that wore the human out.

A sleeping Sollux was no problem.

Awake, however, Dave soon found out that Sollux was far more stubborn than he could ever remember.

It was late morning, and Dave had just checked up on Sollux, only to find him still sleeping. He went back into the kitchen, the last of the mess, dressed in an pink, frilly apron and yellow cleaning gloves, bucket and sponge in hand. He heard shuffling as he was on his hands and knees, cleaning the dried brown-yellow spots on the floor.

Dave frowned, but returned to his cleaning when it grew quiet, figuring that it was nothing.

He almost jumped when Sollux had turned the corner of the hallway. He stood on shaky legs, one hand clinging to the wall, the other lightly grabbing his bandages. He yawned, Dave getting a good look at the troll's far-too-many fangs.

"Morning." the troll grumbled, eyes still half lidded with sleep, mind still fuzzy from the hangover of his sleeping pill and blood lost from the day before.

"S'up." Dave responded, standing up, pointing in the general direction of the bedroom. "Now get back to bed."

"Fuck off, Thrider. I'm hungry... and I'm alright now." Sollux brandished a middle finger, belligerent.

"Yeah, you're going to live, and all that stuff." Dave placed a hand on his hip, pointing a finger at Sollux, making himself look like an angry motherly figure. "However, you're going to pull out your stitches and bleed all over the place again. Should that happen, I don't plan on giving you any more if you do. Get your skinny ass back into bed."

Taught only by best of middle finger brandishing, Karkat Vantas, Sollux let go of the wall just long enough to flip Dave off with both his hands.

Without the support of the wall, and the quick movement causing his head to spin, Sollux's feet gave out from under him.

Both of them were thankful for Dave's quick reflexes, Dave flash stepping as the troll fell into his chest.

A snarl of swears came from Sollux as pain rushed through him from the jolt. Dave picked up his boyfriend, making his way back to the room with the skinny troll.

"Put me down! Theriothly, you've been touching that pail." Sollux grumbled. "And I'm fine." he squirmed in Dave's grip. "Theriouthly, put me down, I can walk on my own."

"I'm not, my dear waifu, and I still don't get your aversion to the bucket designated for cleaning." Dave pointed out. "And it's not like we use pails for our horizontal tango, anyways." he set the troll back down on the bed.

Sollux rearranged the pillows and blankets into a suitable pile, leaning his back against it as Dave brought another blanket over him. Dave thought of tucking in the blanket tight enough to keep Sollux stuck in bed.

"Cultural thenthitivity, Dave. Learn it." he jabbed a bony finger into the human's chest.

Dave laughed. "Cultural sensitivity went out the window when we made Altern-a-Earth. It was buried when we decided to become matesprit-boyfriend-fuckbuddies."

He patted Sollux's head, who swatted the glove away with an "Ew."

"I'll make you breakfast, it'll be romantic. Stay in bed." Dave demanded.

"Clean yourthelf off. I don't want your germy handth in my food," Sollux demanded. "Or on my computer... I want my laptop. I don't want to be bored. Oh, and lose the clothth, except for the apron."

"Yes, master. Anything else?" Dave bowed.

"You love it." Sollux quipped back.

"Yes I do, princeth." Dave mocked, earning him another middle finger flipped his way.

Food and laptop served, though to Sollux's dismay, Dave was still clothed. The troll picked at the bacon and eggs, logging onto Trollian.

If there was a time that Sollux was certain that Karkat lurked on Trollian all day, paying no attention to anything else, now was it.

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling twinArmageddons [TA]-

cG: YOU NOOKWHIFFING MORON OF A BEST FRIEND.

cG: DYING IN THE VAST GLUB, THEN ONCE MORE STEERING OUR SORRY ASSES TO THE GREEN SUN WASN'T ENOUGH FOR YOU.

cG: YOU FIGURED, SINCE WE HAVE A NEW WORLD AND ALL, THAT YOU WOULD TRY AND BREAK YOUR OBSESSION WITH BIFURIFICATION AND DIE A THIRD TIME.

tA: hii kk

tA: iim fiine

cG: LIKE HELL YOU ARE FINE.

cG: I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOES ON IN THAT BIFURICATED THINK PAN OF YOURS

cG: BUT WHEN I AM DONE WITH YOU, YOU WILL BE THE FURTHEST THING FROM FINE.

cG: YOU WILL BE SO FAR FROM FINE, YOU WILL WISH THAT THE ASSFACE THAT TRIED TO CULL YOU WAS SUCCESSFUL.

cG: ALL THIS DYING IS BEGINING TO MAKE ME THINK YOU ARE ACTUALLY HELLSPAWN.

tA: wow kk youre really up2et

tA: and that ii2 2aying a lot four you

cG: UPSET DOES NOT EVEN BEGIN TO DISCRIBE THE RANGE OF COMPLEX EMOTIONS I AM FEELING RIGHT NOW.

cG: I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ONE OF YOU UNGRATEFUL MORONS TO GRACE ME WITH YOUR PRESENSE AND GIVE ME SOME NEWS SO THAT I COULD INFORM EVERYONE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE HAVING ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE CORPSE PARTIES THAT ARADIA IS SO FOND OF FOR YOUR ASS.

cG: GOD-FOR-FUCKING-BID STRIDER WOULD GET HIS HEAD OUT OF HIS ASS LONG ENOUGH TO GIVE A TIMELY FOLLW UP.

tA: ii2 thii2 worry iim 2en2ing kk

cG: GEE, HE ACTUALLY GETS IT.

cG: OF COURSE I'M WORRIED.

cG: EVERYONE IS.

cG: YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS TO KEEP EVERYONE FROM FREAKING OUT? TO KEEP GAMZEE FROM COMING OVER AND CULLING STRIDER FOR, AND I REPEAT, "NOT KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR HIS LISPY BRO"?

cG: EVEN ERIDAN FUCKING AMPORA IS WORRIED.

There was a pang of guilt in Sollux. He knew that they would be worried. After all, when he had been in the worst of his slumps nearly the year before, it had taken Karkat to talking to Dave just to make sure that Sollux wasn't starving himself.

Still, it hadn't been his fault that he had been stabbed.

The thought didn't help in easing his guilt, feeling that he could have prevented it.

A dull ache began to form in Sollux's temples.

tA: 2orry kk

tA: anyways ii have two let everyone el2e know that iim alright

cG: FINE. SEE IF I CARE IF YOU DISREGARD HOW I FEEL.

cG: …

cG: YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU HEAL, YOU FUCKASS. I DON'T THINK I CAN HANDLE YOU DYING ON ME AGAIN.

-twinArmageddons [TA] ceased trolling carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Sollux sighed, going down his list of friends, letting those that were online know that he was alright. Those that weren't online would find out soon enough, more than likely from Karkat, he figured. Once he finished talking to Aradia, he logged out, deciding to try and clear his thoughts.

He rubbed at his temples, trying to ease the headache back. It did little good. The Gemini turned to his programming , trying to distract himself from both the guilt and the pain in his head and abdomen.

Sollux shut down his computer several minutes later, finding it impossible to concentrate. He swallowed, finding his throat parched. Ears twitched, listening for where Dave was in the apartment.

He perked up a little when he heard the shower running, finding another opportunity to leave the bed.

"Thcrew him, I'm fine." the troll mumbled as he pushed away the blankets, slowly crawling out of bed with care. He made his way for the kitchen, holding on to the wall for balance.

Once at the sink, he reached into the cupboard, wincing when he felt a twinge of pain. Forgoing the cup, Sollux simply turned on the sink and drank from the tap.

"Skinny, what the hell are you doing out of bed?"

Sollux almost bashed his face on the faucet.

"You are theriouthly an inthufferable prick, Thrider." Sollux growled, his blood pusher pounding. He cursed Dave's speed and silence.

"Hey, I'm not the one sneaking out of bed." Dave ruffled a towel through his wet hair, another one was wrapped around his waist.

"Thrider, one can only thit in bed tho long." Sollux made his way to the futon, now covered by a blanket to hide the blood stains from the night before. Dave moved in to pick up the troll, but Sollux was already sitting down, legs curled up under him.

"Hey, it's generally not a good idea to walk around with stitches. Unless you want to pop them open. Not going to judge you if that's your sort of thing." Dave shrugged. "Stay there, I'll be back."

Sollux grumbled, turning on the television, which soon grabbed his attention. Dave disappeared to get dress, coming back with new bandages and other medical equipment. He began to tug at the old ones around Sollux's waist.

"What are you doing, Thrider?" Sollux yelped, startled.

"What does it look like? Gee, for bragging about your superior intellect, you really are clueless?"

Another grumble from the troll. Dave pulled the old bandages off, then gently cleaned around the stitches, cleaning off the yellow blood that had seeped through. Sollux growled about the sting, frowning, before his expression softened.

"Hey, Thrider?" Sollux turned to look at Dave, their eye's meeting.

"Sup?" Strider replied, wrapping the new bandages around Sollux.

"Thankth."

Strider patted at the bandages gently, getting a look at his handy work.

"Like hell I would let you bleed to death on me." a smirk played on his pale lips. "Your blood was hard enough to clean up."

Sollux flipped him off, then got a good look at the human's face. Bags lurked under blood-shot eyes. Sollux shifted on the futon, moving over to the end.

"Did you thleep at all?" the troll questioned. Dave shook his head.

"Doctors never sleep." Dave joked. Sollux patted at the empty space on the futon.

"Well, you're done playing doctor. Lie down." Sollux then tugged at Dave's hand. "After all, should I pop a thtitch, you're going to need to be well rethted to fix it."

Dave's eyebrow arched up. "You honestly think that's going to let me sleep? Honestly, how do I know you're not going to get up?"

"You don't." Sollux stuck out a split tongue. "Which ith why you should be rethting, you know, jutht in cathe. Bethidths, you're fretting too much." 

Dave gave him a long, hard stare, before picking up the troll and making his way to the bedroom. Sollux gave a yelp of surprise, squirming in the human's grip.

"While I usually say that I am too cool for fretting, I think in this case, it would be uncool for me to not fret." Dave pointed out. "Really now, Sollux. You can sit in front of the computer all day and not move, not even when I'm trying to sex you. You get stabbed and suddenly you have to go and move around and do everything."

Sollux jabbed a thin finger into Dave's chest. "All the thingth." he stated blandly.

"All the things. I don't get you, Captor." Dave set the troll into the bed, moving aside the pile that troll had made before crawling in himself. He spooned the thinner troll, hand resting gently on Sollux's sharp hip. The Gemini sighed as he lied down next to Dave. 

"I don't get you, coolkid." Sollux looked over at his matesprit. Eyes closed, Dave barely made a grunt, quickly falling asleep. Sollux ran his hands through the near-white locks, scratching gently at the scalp.

Waiting patiently.

Once sure that Dave was out, Sollux moved as carefully as possible out of the grip on his hip, crawling out of the bed slowly. He froze, breath hitching when he heard Dave sigh. He relaxed when Dave didn't move, absconding from the bedroom entirely.

Sollux relished in his new found freedom from a fretting Dave, and the boring bed, despite his need to still hold on to the wall for balance. He returned to watching the television, like he had been before Dave had kidnapped him from his spot on the futon.

Merely a half hour would pass before Sollux would bore of the handful of stations that barely came in with their shitty antennae box. He returned to his computer, his ears twitching when he heard shuffling from the bedroom, relaxing when he heard Dave snore, turning to programming. Still finding he could not concentrate at the task at hand, Sollux decided he felt gross.

He listened for Dave, hearing faint snores coming from the bedroom.

Sollux really wanted an ablution.

He made his way to the bathroom, pausing a moment at the bedroom door just to watch Strider curl up against the pile of pillows, hugging them as if they were Sollux himself.

Sollux closed the door to the bathroom once there, clinging to the sink. He stared at the shower handle for a moment, plotting the best way to take the ablution he so wanted. He let go of the sink, balancing on only his feet as he reached for the handle.

Sollux's body lurched in protest as his legs gave out. He felt several pops, with pings of pain in his wound before his side slammed into the lip of the shower.

He felt more than just the pops and pains in his side

Sollux clasped a hand against his mouth, biting his lip to keep from yelling in pain, another clasped against his wound, forcing himself into a sitting up position.

He could feel the bandages becoming damp and warm. Sollux risked a peek down, seeing mustard yellow seeping through the bandages.

"Shit... fuck, shit." Sollux cursed as he tried to stand up. He barely got to his knees before a wave of dizziness flooded over his senses, falling back to the ground, leaning against the wall for support.

The pain in his abdomen grew worst.

"Why didn't you lithten to Thrider, thupid..." Sollux cursed. His vision grew blurry.

His thin body slid down the wall as his vision grew black.


	4. Dave, Hope for the Best

Sleep for Dave was always sound, even after the events of Sburb. Even with the memories plaguing his dreams. The world could be ending, and Dave could sleep through it if he so wished.

Noise was something that did not bother him as he slept. After all, he and Dirk would dj, after all.

What always woke him up, however, was light, with his eyes as sensitive as they were.

The day crept on, the sunlight peeking through the cracks of blinds, shining just right against Dave's eyelids. An irritated grumble emitted as Dave slowly opened his eyes.

As consciousness edged into his mind, Dave noticed the lack of warmth against his body. He sat up, the last grasp of drowsiness slipping away. He looked around the room, looking to find the missing warmth. The only thing accompanying him was the pillows and blankets that Sollux had hoarded for so long and Dave had clung too. Shades slipped over Dave's crimson orbs, moving swiftly and silently out of the bed.

"Sollux, babe, I really enjoy the look of your large fangs and sharp horns when I wake up. It pains me that you would abandon me." Dave called out, shifting when there was no response. He looked over to the clock. It was edging on late afternoon, and he really couldn't be bothered to be too upset, his mind much clearer and nerves less frayed. Dave swiftly made his way to the hall, heading for the living room.

"Alright, just so you don't break your nose on something or use your eye lasers on me, I'm coming down the hall." Dave teased, the memory of Sollux's near miss with the faucet clear in his mind. A frown tugged at his lips when there was no response, and made itself known when Dave did not find Sollux on the futon.

He hoped Sollux had fallen asleep watching television. After all, the only reason that there would have been no response...

Dave shook his head to rid himself of the thought. "Must of not heard me." he muttered as he made his way towards the bathroom.

The sinking feeling in his gut didn't go away.

"Sollux?" Dave called out. "Hey, I do hope you're not planning on getting naked and wet. As much as I would love to see that, it's going to hurt when you get soap in your stitches."

Dave moved down the hall with a quicker pace when there was still no answer.

"Sollux, hey, are you in there?" Dave knocked on the door, hand hovering over the handle when there was still just silence. When the second knock ushered no response, he turned the knob, bracing himself in case psychotechnics threw him out.

The psychotechnics would have been welcome.

"Damn it!" Dave cursed as he rushed to Sollux's side, the troll crumpled against the shower floor. Yellow blood had seeped from the bandages, pooling on the shower floor.

Anger nagged at Dave's gut.

He had Sollux to stay in bed, but the anger wasn't at the troll lying there bleeding. It was at himself. Dave had known Sollux was going to get up anyways, yet he still went to sleep.

Dave pushed the thoughts back. There would be time to be angry later. Right now, he had to play doctor once more.

"Hey there, wake up." Dave lightly jostled the troll, listening. The only response was the ragged breaths from the bleeding troll.

Dave hoped it was his imagination that it seemed that Sollux was in far worst condition than when he had found him the first time.

Not bothering to try and wake the troll once more, Dave moved to grab a large towel, laying it on the floor before he pulled the thin troll from the shower stall and laid him on top of it. Yellow dripped along the floor, staining the towel that Sollux was placed upon.

There was no response from the troll. Dave could feel the adrenalin rushing through him.

Dave moved to grab the medical supplies he needed, washing his hands and snapping on a pair of latex gloves before moving back to the troll. He pulled away the bloodied bandage, cutting them to get them off as quickly as his could.

Dave winced when he saw the wound. All of the stitches had been popped, and it seemed as if it had been torn a little. Not only that, it was still oozing blood. Dave only hoped that the damage that had been done was recent.

He doubted that, considering the amount of blood in the shower. Whatever had happened, the wound was worst than when Dave had found him the night before.

He continued his inspection, getting a closer look at the wound. It had been torn at least a good inch from the initial wound, causing even more severe bleeding. Around the wound, a sickly yellow grey formed, into what Dave though was a nasty bruise.

"Hey, Sollux, can you wake up for me?" Dave did his best too keep cool, cleaning at the wound.

His only response was ragged breaths.

Dave cursed as he readied the stitches. He dabbed at the wound once more, ridding of the new blood that had oozed out.

A soft groan from Sollux almost made Dave jump. He looked at the troll with a pause.

"Sollux?" Dave questioned.

Multi-colored orbs opened halfway, unfocused, the troll's head slowly moving.

"Dave..." black lips moved, but no sound came out.

"Are you hanging in there?" Dave asked softly. The only response he received was eyes closing, Sollux's head falling to the side as he slipped back to unconsciousness.

With a sigh, Dave turned back to the wound, once again dabbing away the blood. "How the hell did you manage to do this one, Captor?" Dave asked, but expected no reply. Needle set, Dave once again went to work.

Puncture, pull, stitch.

Dave had barely begun to close the wound when there was a knock on the door. He growled, but made no move to go and answer it.

Puncture, pull, stitch.

Another knock, and Dave's shot nerves flared. "Not now." he muttered under his breath. "They can get their cool later."

Puncture, pull, stitch.

Knock, jiggle, click.

Dave jumped when he heard the door open. Suddenly, his mind went attentive towards whoever was intruding on his home, ready to either fight, or pick up Sollux and abscond. This was the last thing he needed with Sollux's wound newly opened, but the events of the last day had him on edge.

"Hey, little man, I haven't seen you in a while. Been missing out on our strifes!" a familiar voice called.

Dave's nerves settled, just a little.

"Not now, bro!" Dave called out, not bothering to hide the urgency in his voice.

Sollux groaned softly, head rocking to the other side. Dave's eyes were once again brought to the trolls face, but he soon went back to his work when Sollux went still again.

Dave almost jumped when Strider appeared behind him.

"Fuck." Dave heard a clattering behind him as Strider made his way to Sollux's side. The older Strider wasted no time inspecting the troll's vitals, unnerving Dave.

Still, even with Dave knowing what he was doing, he was rather thankful that his brother was there.

Strider gently opened a grey eyelid to inspect Sollux's pupils, cursing when he couldn't make out anything in a blue orb.

"What is it with you and the aliens, little man?" Strider mocked. He didn't give Dave time to answer as he moved to inspect the wound.

"What the hell happened?" the older man asked.

Dave went to continue stitching the wound, but Strider stopped him.

"I need an answer." Strider urged. Dave gave a shaky sigh, before he began to talk.

So Dave told his brother about the night before. About finding Sollux wounded and bleeding. About the man that had attacked the troll. The fact that Sollux wouldn't stay at rest, and the fact that Dave had found him once more, bleeding worst than the night before.

Before Dave could tell him any more, Strider was placing a towel against the wound, arms running under Sollux's thin form as the older man lifted the troll. The next thing Dave knew, Strider was carrying Sollux out of the apartment.

Dave followed. He had nearly protested, stating that he had not finished stitching up the wound, but he knew that Strider knew more on taking care of wounds than he did. After all, Dave had been on the receiving end of worst attacks than he had given his bro.

"What's wrong?" Dave asked Strider, knowing something was up if he had not been allowed to stitch up the wound.

"I need to stop the bleeding." Strider pushed aside the ajar door in his apartment, moving to the table that now sat in the kitchenette, knocking aside the junk that cluttered it with a well placed kick.

Sollux made no sound as he was placed on the table other than weak breaths

Without words, the brothers moved. Dave held the towel against the wound tightly as Strider went to prepare. The younger brother stole a glance at the trolls face.

Sollux's expression was pained, even in unconsciousness. Dave's gut twisted.

Strider returned, setting supplies on what little available counter space there was. He turned to Dave and Sollux, moving Dave away from the troll. Orange eyes behind shades met up with crimson ones.

"There's not funky alien organs I have to worry about?" Strider asked. "Because, little man, there is only so much I can do, and I sure as hell am not trusting him to some doctor."

Dave managed a shrug as his bro went to work. "You'll have to ask sleeping beauty." Dave said. "But when I first found him, he said no, so let's hope not." Strider just nodded, and Dave found himself looking away as his brother went to work on the wound, removing the handywork that Dave had already done.

Another soft groan escaped black lips. Dave's attention was drawn back to Sollux. Once again hetero-chromatic orbs opened, half lidded, unfocused. Dave moved in to caress a grey cheek.

"Are you hanging in there, babe?" Dave asked, trying to hold his cool.

Sollux gritted his teeth, a bit more aware now as he felt Strider work on the wound. His eyes closed tight, a soft glow showing through his eyelids. Small sparks zapped around his horns, but they were too small to do much of anything.

"Fuck..." the troll cursed, trying to shift.

"Stay still." Strider commanded as he began to stitch the wound back up, the bleeding now slowly stopping.

Sollux's only reply was a groan. Dave gently ran his hand through the troll's black locks, jumping when the Gemini hissed, looking up towards his brother to see him dabbing on a healing ointment, something that Dave had not seen before.

"That's new." Dave wondered as he gently tried to distract Sollux from the pain. He could feel the troll's head falling back, the tense form going slack once more. Dave silently cursed.

"Something new from the troll downstairs. Works like a charm." Strider explained as he motioned for Dave to lift up the troll so he could wrap the bandages. "Fast healing, prevents infection. Just stings like hell." Strider moved quickly to wrap the bandages.

The older man moved in to pick up Sollux once done, but stopped when Dave also went to do the same. "Bring him to your old room. Someone's going to need to keep an eye on him when he wakes up. Might as well take shifts." Strider instructed.

Dave cradled Sollux in his arms. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I know what you keep in there now. If Sollux wakes up to it, I don't want to be on the top floor when he freaks out."

Both of them gave tired chuckles as they made their way to the room, but when Dave gave Sollux's face a look, he frowned. The troll was pale, fairing far worst than the night before. Uneasiness tugged at his weary mind as he set the troll down on his old bed once Strider cleared it.

The older man left them to be as Dave sat next to Sollux, grabbing a thin hand in his own as he watched a bony chest shake with each rattled breath.

_'I hope he wakes up.'_ he prayed.


	5. Dave, Strife with the Tiny Troll

Sollux had yet to wake.

The first hours had been grueling. Both Strider brothers had taken turns keeping an eye on the sleeping Gemini. The cleaning and bandaging of the wound had become a join effort, Dave holding up Sollux while Bro cared for the injury. Yellow blood had continued to seep out past the stitches, and Dave silently wondered if the doubled up efforts were going to be enough.

What unnerved Dave more was the lack of response from Sollux, weather the wound had been bumped, or one of the two brothers had been talking to the sleeping troll. Dave had been certain that Sollux would had have at least groaned in his sleep, even if it was from a dream.

The only sign that Dave had that showed that Sollux was still alive was pained, struggled breaths.

Bro had given Dave a break at some point. Though Dave did not want to leave Sollux's side, not even for a moment, the two brothers had agreed that Dave needed to clear his head. He ended up back across the hall of the building in his own apartment, cleaning up the newly dried blood.

The sun was beginning to set when Dave had once again taken over the duty of watching Sollux. Bro had left to get more medical supplies, as well as a meal for the both of them. Dave would ignore the Chinese food that sat next to him.

Midnight rolled around and Bro made his way to Dave's old room, finding his younger brother half lying on the bed, half sitting in the chair. Pale fingers were twined with thin gray ones, the younger Strider twitching in a fitful sleep.

Bro gently removed the aviators on his younger brother's face, taking a spare blanket and covering up Dave. The younger Strider relaxed ever so slightly when a toughened hand gently ran through pale locks.

The next day was not much better for the two of them. Dave had almost woken up in a panic, a quickly fading nightmare fading into the back of his mind. Bro had been keeping an eye on both of them. The younger Strider took a moment to fully wake, before he once again took over care.

Dave was certain that Sollux was much paler than the night before, the bleeding having not stopped, despite having slowed down as much as it had.

The day was beginning to wear down on Dave's mind.

Sollux just slept, no sound coming from the troll.

Dave's phone had begun to ring of the hook, but he ignored it, the ring tone alerting him to who it was. He didn't feel like bothering with them- he had more important things to tend to.

At the end of the day, Bro was once again covering up his younger brother as Dave slept restlessly.

The day had started off the same as the one before, Dave waking up from yet another nightmare, though the dream was clearly etched into his mind. It was really only brought about from his worries of Sollux, but the fact that Sollux had not even so much as moved when Dave had jolted up hadn't eased Dave's worries.

Dave at a small breakfast, once again taking over the care duties so that Bro could take a break.

Bro left the two alone, going to take a quick a nap.

Dave's phone began to ring once again, the sound of FloRida – Low filling the room with Dave's ironic ring tone choices. Despite not needing to, the ring tone alerting him to who it was, he checked the phone. The name Short and Nubby displayed on the screen.

It was Karkat.

Dave couldn't be bothered to deal with the angry troll. He knew he should let him know what was going on, give him an update, to at least let people know that Sollux was, once again, out of commission.

Dave didn't want to deal with it. He didn't want to deal with Karkat berating him for not keeping an eye on Sollux. Dave also didn't want the small troll knocking on his door.

He really didn't want Karkat knocking on his door.

He sent the call to voice mail, putting the phone onto vibrate, and once again turned his attention back to Sollux.

"Hey, babe, waking up would be an awesome idea right now." Dave bent down and gave Sollux a kiss on unresponsive lips.

It was past noon when Bro had woke up from his nap, moving in to help Dave change the bandages once more. A soft sigh escaped Sollux's lips, and Dave perked up, only to settle back down when the

sleeping Gemini went quiet once more.

"That's a good sign." Bro reassured. "That's the most sound he's made. Maybe you should bend down and give him a true love kiss."

Dave simply stared at his brother, though he couldn't help the small smirk.

Still, Bro could tell the strain on Dave was beginning to take it's toll.

"Alright, I'm taking over. You should go out and get some fresh air before you go stir crazy." Bro stated, waiting for Dave to move.

The younger Strider just stared at him, shaking his head.

"Not going anywhere, bro." Dave stated bluntly.

Bro grabbed Dave by the shoulder, forcibly removing him from the chair so that he could take a seat.

Dave stood his ground.

Bro stared him down, unnerving the younger Strider.

"He will be fine." reassured Dirk. "I won't let anything happen. You need a break.

Dave sighed in defeat.

"Alright. But I'll have my phone on me... so please, call me if something happens. Or he wakes up."

Bro gave him a reassuring salute before Dave turned on his heel, putting on his shoes, grabbing his duck shaped bag, making sure that his shades were fixated on his face, and headed out.

Down the stairs, Dave took time to think, mind racing.

He shook his head to clear it.

Out the door, into the public.

He walked down the sidewalk, taking in deep breaths of fresh air he needed.

His phone rung. His heart jumped.

When Dave checked the phone, he found that it was Karkat once more. He couldn't be bothered to answer the angry troll.

It was late afternoon when he had returned to the apartment, the trip up the stairs taking longer than he could remember. Dave had not realized how exhausted how tired he was, the worry and the stress actually get to him.

Dave reminded himself that this was nothing like Sburb.

It didn't help.

Making his way up the last flight of steps, Dave soon found himself eye to eye to vibrant red in pools of yellow, a short troll with nubby horns standing before his apartment door.

"Where have you been, where is Sollux, and why on earth have neither one of you shitstains contacted me to let me know what is going on?" Karkat growled.

"Not in the mood, Short and Nubby." Dave walked past him, turning across the hall to enter his bro's apartment.

"Hey, you douchbag, I am talking to you, not like you would care to listen." Karkat's voice went up a couple of decibels, making Dave realize that Karkat was much quieter than he had ever though possible. "Why hasn't that idiot of a best friend of mine picked up my calls? Why haven't you answered me?"

Dave moved to close the door behind him, but Karkat swiftly made his way into the apartment. He jabbed a finger into Dave's chest.

"Why the hell aren't you telling me anything?" Karkat demanded. "There is something wrong, and if you do not enlighten me this instant, I swear to god I will go shithive maggots on your ass. I will make you regret ever meeting Karkat Vantas. Then, when I am through with you, I will no longer keep Gamzee from attacking your ass. I will be so relieved to not only no longer have to keep an eye on you, but to watch him go to town on your smug ass."

Dave could tell that, from the tone of Karkat's voice, that the small troll was more stressed than usual. It was yet another thing that Dave did not think was possible.

Dave couldn't help but to smirk.

"Why Karkat, if I weren't mistaken, it would seem as if though you're waxing black for me... is that how it works? I don't know, that whole shit with your troll romance confuses the fuck out of me."

Dave had not meant to antagonize Karkat. He had all intents and purposes to tell the troll before him what was wrong, but the bait was there, and Dave need to say something, anything, to help clear his mind.

Dave turned around, feeling a bit of stress lifting his shoulders now that he had the chance, the will to snark at someone.

Bro had come out of the room to see what the commotion was. He stared at the two of them through pointed shades.

"Didn't realize that there was going to be a troll party going on." Bro stated.

Karkat was fuming, face turning a brighter shade of red than Dave's eyes.

"Fuck you, Dave Strider, and I mean that in the most platonic way possible." the small troll growled. "Now tell me what the fuck is going on."

Bro was the first to speak up.

"If you're talking about Dave's alien boyfriend, he hasn't been awake since yesterday." Bro's face went serious. "He tore his wound."

The next thing Dave knew, a gray balled up fist was slammed into his face, aviators flying from Dave's face, Karkat releasing his pent up rage. Dave reeled back in mild surprise. Not one to let an unwarranted blow go unanswered, Dave return the blow.

The two were soon fighting their way down the hall, fists flying, ignoring Bro's calls for them to stop, ignoring the older Strider's attempts to prevent them for making their way into the room.

Karkat pinned Dave onto the ground, ready to start bringing down a flurry of blows.

"I told you to keep an eye on that idiot!" Karkat growled. "I should have figured I couldn't trust you with a simple enough task! You aren't the one that has to break the news to everyone else, you idiot!" The small troll yelped as he felt himself being pulled up and away from Dave.

"Alright, break it up you two. Strifing isn't helping the situation, nor is the noise you are making waking up sleeping beauty over there." Bro explained.

Dave got up.

And promptly ignored Bro as the older Strider sat the small troll onto the ground.

Dave grabbed Karkat by the front of his shirt, slamming him against the wall.

"Hey, you asshole, I have been keeping an eye on Sollux!" Dave hissed. "And as much hell as I am going to give Sollux late for not staying in bed, shit. Fucking. Happens."

The two were once again throwing punches.

Bro once again was moving in to separate the two. He would let the two continue strifing, seeing as both Karkat and Dave need to relieve some stress, had it not been for the risk of things breaking, particularly with the possibility of breaking onto Sollux.

Bro never understood why Dave had left his collection of strange dead things with him.

However, Bro's attempts to break Karkat's and Dave's fight only escalated the issue, adrenaline rising between all three. They ended up a tangle of flailing, fighting limbs and bruises and frustration.

It came to a screeching halt when a levitating ball of multicolored, plush puppet ass exploded onto them, fluff and felt raining down on all three of them.

There was a haze of confusion as they tried to figure out where the rain of exploding smuppet came from. Dave's eyes were the first to meet with heterochromatic eyes.

Wide open, red and blue orbs.

Sollux was leaning against the wall, using it for support as he sat up, lightly clutching at the bandages. His breathing was struggled, the act of using his psiioniics having taking all of the energy Sollux could spare.

But he was awake.

"Athholth." the troll growled. "Theriouthly, no one can't thleep with all thith yelling."

Dave tore himself from the pile of torn plush rump and tangled limps and rushed his way to Sollux, wrapping his harms around the thin troll, barely taking care not to agitate Sollux's injury. He really didn't give a damn how uncool it looked.

"Sollux, you are the worst best friend, I swear to god. Honestly, did it ever occur to you that maybe getting hurt even worst than you are now was a great idea? What on earth, Sollux? Seriously?" the stress in Karkat's voice was much less than what it had been, earning him a small smile from the troll.

"Ehehe... hi KK." Sollux wheezed, half in pain and half from Dave hanging off of his neck. "I'm fine, I promith." Karkat flipped Sollux off, the gesture, oddly enough, helping to rid the last bit of tension in the room. 

Bro got up, saying nothing, simply brushing off bits of felt and stuffing off of him, almost wishing that there had been a camera to catch the rainbow of explosion.

"Anyways, now that I know that your skinny hide is still alive, I can go tell the others. Fucking stay in bed this time, idiot." Karkat growled. "I have things to get done, which would have been done if I didn't have to worry about your ass. I'm out of here." With that, Karkat stomped out of the apartment. Bro simply gave a small wave before leaving the room as well, closing the door to give Dave and Sollux a moment.

Dave turned to nuzzle the Gemini's neck, the two of them getting comfortable on the small bed.

"Hey, Sollux," he muttered. The troll simply twitched his ears.

"Can you focus on the healing shit now? No more adventures for a while, okay? Because this shit was stupid."

Sollux gave a soft chuckle, wrapping his arms around Dave.

"Yeth honey pie. Thure."

Dave hated being called honey pie.

At this point in time, however, with Sollux awake and talking...

Dave didn't care.


	6. Dave, Realize it's Fine

A week had passed since the attack.

A long week of healing.

Bro and Dave had teamed up, each one taking turns to keep an eye on Sollux, neither one wanting the stubborn troll to agitate the wound.

Sollux would bicker with Dave. He was fine, he said. Everything was all right, he said. He made sure Dave knew all about how much he hated bed rest.

Bro, on the other hand, down right intimidated Sollux.

Sollux had had made one attempt to let his feelings known about being forced into bed rest, fangs showing as he snarled grumpily, jabbing his finger into the older Strider's chest.

Bro simply stared him down through his pointed shades. Sollux tried to eye him back, so used to being able to do it with Dave. After all, he had lived with the cool kid long enough to not only return quips, but the stare downs as well.

The stare had been so unnerving, Sollux ended up having to look away. He began to understand where Dave got his poker face at. Sollux also understood that Dave's poker face was far inferior to Bro's.

The troll had never thought he would lose a staring contest to a human, but Bro was simply the best there was at staring someone down.

The days past, and Sollux soon found his strength returning. On the second day, both Bro and Dave spent less time keeping a close eye on Sollux. The troll was grateful to finally have the privacy he needed to get into contact with his friends, laughing at Karkat's angry concern and enjoying a much needed video call feelings jam with Aradia.

The troll had taken to using his psiioniics more and more throughout the day as he recovered, using it to grab things from across the room.

He only reserved his psiioniics for Bro. Dave, on the other hand, was tasked with listening to the beck and call of a bored, cranky troll.

Sometimes, Dave took to the task at hand, opting for the frilly maid outfit he had once commissioned Kanaya to sew for him.

Sollux didn't mind.

"If I had known getting stuck on bed retht would get me a maid-"

"Stuff it, Captor, or I'm not doing this shit again." Dave quickly shot back.

Sollux simply grinned, enjoying the view in front of him.

On the third day, when Dave and Sollux had finally returned to their own apartment, Sollux found himself well enough to finally use his psiioniics to carry himself around the house. He took full advantage of his new found freedom, all the while cursing himself for not thinking to use it sooner.

"Sollux, what on earth are you doing?" Dave stared at the troll that floated in front of him as Sollux rifled through he cupboards for something to eat.

Dave had not been pleased at the way the troll managed to get out of bed rest.

"What, Dave? It'th not like I walking about the plathe, pulling my stitches again." Sollux taunted.

Dave crossed his arms, doing his best impression of an agitated housewife. It only caused Sollux to chuckle, and Dave to smirk at said chuckle.

On the fourth day, Sollux had simply had enough staying in bed and using his psiioniics. He ignored Dave as he moved about the apartment, though cautious as ever. Dave, instead of taking to trying to keep Sollux in bed, opted for fretting and fussing, doing everything he could to be in the way and agitating Sollux with said fussing.

Still, despite the banter, they both had to admit that everything was slowly going back to normal, the worry slowly fading away.

The fifth day, Dave finally allowed Sollux to be. The Gemini was glad to be free of the fretting, moving around the apartment to stretch his legs.

He began to notice the disarray the apartment was in. Certainly the blood had been cleaned up, but more clothing and snack bags had found their way onto the floor from Dave's fleeting visits. Sollux had never been a neat person, but the urge to clean had found it's way into the troll's mind.

Part of Sollux wondered if maybe part of it was simply due to the urge to finally move about.

He started grabbing the lose clothes from the floor, finding, more often than not, that Dave had taken a liking to stealing the Gemini's shirts. Dave wandered out from their bedroom, arms crossed, a smirk playing across pale lips.

"Wow, if I had known playing doctor was going to get me a maid-"

"Thtuff it, Thrider. You better not expect me to put on any get up." Sollux cut off the other before Dave even had a chance to finish. Dave could only chuckle before joining in the fight to recover their floor.

"Hey, Captor, think fast!"

As Sollux turned around, he found ragged, torn, stained fabric being thrown onto his head.

"The next time you decide to get attacked., can you not wear one of my shirts?" Dave stated bluntly.

Sollux pulled the fabric from his face.

"I'll get you a new one." the troll mentioned before returning to the task at hand.

"That's not the point." Dave continued. "The bond between a man and his shirts is not something to be trifled with. I understand you have weird alien customs, but clothing can be an important part of-"

"But you thteal my shirts all the time." Sollux cut Dave off, staring pointedly. "Ath a matter of fact, they're all dirty, all over the floor!"

"Still, not the point."

Sollux flung the shirt back into Dave's face with his psiioniics.

"I though it wath cute when your girlfriend thealth your shirtth, thexy even. Your wordth, not mine." the troll gladly pointed out.

"Yes, wear them, alright, but you are not supposed to turn them into stylish shredded ribbons." was the fast reply.

"I'll keep that in mind the next time you do that to one of my button upth when we pail." Sollux pointed an accusing finger at Dave, who simply held his arms up in mock surrender.

It took them until the next day to finally get the apartment looking a lot a pile of dirty clothes and snack wrappers, and more like the forest of wires it was.

The seventh day, Dave was relieved to finally be able to remove the stitches, the wound nearly healed.

"Ow! Damn it, Thrider!" Sollux yelped and jerked when Dave tugged just a little too much.

"Seriously? We're going with the cliché "Sit still, it'll hurt less" routine?" Dave teased. "Honestly, don't move, it'll go faster."

Sollux gave Dave a nice view of his middle most phalange, causing the human to chuckle.

Snip. Tug. Remove.

Other than their light bantering, it was rather silent. As the last stitched was pulled, the still healing wound cleaned, Dave found himself running a hand along it.

Sollux did his best to hold back a hiss of pain. Dave quickly snapped his hand away.

"Sorry, Sollux. I should have realized it was still healing." Dave apologized softly, grabbing the bandages to cover it up once more.

Sollux looked down, staring at what little he could see before Dave began wrapping the gauze around the troll's abdomen.

The room was filled with silence, the other not sure of what to say, of what needed to be said. 

"Dave?" Sollux was the one to speak up, voice soft. Dave's attention quickly snapped up to the troll.

"Hey... I'm thorry I scared you." Sollux worried at his lip with his fangs. "To be honetht, I'm thill pretty scared mythelf... I gueth I should have realized that humanth were capable of the thame violenthe trolls are."

The gauze was secured onto Sollux, and the Gemini quickly pulled the shirt over his head, growing nervous at the sudden silence.

Dave simply stared at the troll.

"Honestly. You had the capability of watching my whole life, to watch various options of human culture... spent three years on a rock with us, and you still think we're these squishy little things. Come on Sollux. I thought you were smarter than that." Dave teased.

Sollux couldn't help but to crack a smile.

"Ehehehe, you are squishy, Dave. You're the squishietht thing ever. Bethidth, I had better thingth to do than to watch your inferior human media. You know, like not dying on thaid rock."

Oh god, how Sollux missed this banter. The two of them shared a laugh.

"Well, Sollux, I may be squishy, but I have a fine ass. Which, I would like to point out, you love."

"You have me beat there, Thrider."

Dave helped Sollux up off the couch, when suddenly Dave found soft lips pressed against his own. It was a brief kiss, Sollux pulling away before the other had time to react.

"That'th for thaving me, by the way, my knight in shining armor." Sollux smirked.

"I thought you had better things to do than to watch my inferior human media." Dave mocked, sticking out his tongue.

Sollux shrugged. "Anywayth, enough of that. I'm hungry, and I could eat a hoofbeatht."

"If you do, maybe you will actually end up with an ass- ow!" Dave yelped as he felt a small psiioniic spark flash across his cheek.

"Dave, food, now, before I dethide you're dinner."

"Well, then you'll be out of a doctor."

"Then let'th get thomething already!"

Dave chuckled, quickly throwing on his shoes.

"Very well. I shall wine and dine you, and then later I will be your nurse and work my magic fingers." Dave winked.

They shared another kiss, this time longer, just a tad bit more passionate. Pulling away, Dave stole one more peck, giving Sollux a soft smile.

"Are you done doing the wounded thing now?" Dave asked. "Because, Sollux, that is not cool or ironic. It's the opposite of cool and ironic. No, it's the antithesis to cool and ironic."

"Eheheh, yeth Dave. Theriously, how many timeth do I have to tell you in a day? I'm fine!" Sollux exclaimed, slightly exasperated.

Dave couldn't help the grin on his face.

Sollux was fine.

Everything had turned out for the best.

If Dave had to, in many ways, he would be Sollux's medic.

Oh, he was certain he would show Sollux how many ways he could be a medic, but the thought of food crossed his mind once more, and the two of them quickly shuffled out of the apartment.

He would be that medic later.

Dave needed to be the date now.


End file.
